“Thanks,” I said and got out of the car. I was thankful I’d made at least one friend while being in town, and Lilly was a sweetheart.

“No problem,” Lilly said and leaned down so she could see out the opened passenger door. “You have my cell if you need me.”

I nodded and lifted my hand. After shutting the door and watching her leave, I turned and looked at Gabe’s garage.

I made my way toward the building, hearing the music pounding through the closed doors. I knocked on the front entrance but doubted he’d hear me unless he was close to it. Walking around to where the bay doors were, I rose on my toes and peered in through the dirty, smudged glass. A motorcycle that was taken apart was on one side, and several other vehicles were lined up away from that. The garage itself was small, but then again, this was a tiny town, so they probably didn’t need a whole lot of custom work done.

And then I saw Gabe. He was hunched over the hood of a car. He wore a pair of grease-stained jeans, thick black biker boots, and a T-shirt that might have been white at one time but was now gray and torn. A breeze blew by, and I shivered. Wrapping my jacket more firmly around my chest, I noticed a door off to the side. He clearly hadn’t heard me knocking, and I doubted he’d hear if I banged on the garage door.

I went over to the side door, pulled it open, and the scent of grease, gasoline, and everything that made up Gabe slammed into me. My body reacted instantly: my nipples hardened, and I became wet between my thighs.

I moved closer. He still had yet to realize I was here, despite the fact that he’d let me know the car was ready and I all but argued I’d have a coworker drop me off.

I could see his big hands working on the guts of the car but had no clue what he was actually doing, obviously. Grease covered his tanned hands, but it was a turn-on to see him in his element. I don’t know how long I stood there staring him, my body becoming even more aroused, my heart racing.

And then he lifted his head and his dark gaze landed right on me. The music beat a heady, almost violent rhythm around us, and neither of us said anything for long seconds. He moved out from under the hood and walked over to where an ancient-looking radio sat atop a workstation. When he turned the dial, the music instantly lowered. Gabe faced me, a dirty red rag in his hands. He still said nothing as he started cleaning off the oil with one of the shop rags.

“So,” I said, my throat tight, my nerves insane right now. I looked at my car again, which I saw parked off to the side away from the half-assembled motorcycle. “How’s it going?”

How’s it going? I seriously just said that?

I tried to ward off the awkward feeling I had by pointing to my car. He didn’t respond and didn’t move from where he leaned against the workbench. The wide expanse of his chest was visible under the thin material of his filthy shirt.

God, why is the grease that covers him so damn hot?

His hard, muscular pecs were defined, his tiny male nipples evident through the shirt. And his huge biceps made me think he’d bust right through the shirt at any second.

My arousal continued to burn slowly inside of me, but I had no doubt it would consume me before I left. It was like my body screamed at me to let this man have it in every dirty way imaginable.

Despite his stoic expression, he kept his focus on me. I noticed the way he started breathing a little harder, and told myself to keep my eyes above his belt. No need to see if he was sporting a hard-on.

I opened my mouth to bring the focus back to the car, but no words came. God, I felt like there was this intense heat bouncing between us. We were a good distance away from each other, but his gaze on me felt like actual fingers skating down my entire body.

He started washing his hands at a small sink, then grabbed a clean rag and dried them off. He pushed away the bench, and stalked toward me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe when he stopped in front of me. He was so big that his entire body took up my vision and blocked out everything behind him. With the slow, steady pump of music all around us, the scent of him filling my lungs, and the masculine sexuality he threw off, I didn’t want to think about anything else aside from giving in to him.

“I have some paperwork for you to fill out,” was his only reply in regards to my car. I licked my lips and nodded, and I didn’t miss the way he looked down at my mouth.

I followed him over to my car, and he opened the driver’s door to grab some paperwork that was on the seat.

“Sign on these two pages.” He pointed out where I was to put my signature. I scanned the papers but didn’t see a price on parts and labor.

“I don’t see how much all of this will cost.” I had relocated for this job and had a nice nest egg saved up, but I certainly didn’t have an expendable bank account.

“I got the part from a guy I know. He owed me a favor so no cost.”

I looked up at him, shocked.

“And I did the labor myself, so I didn’t pay any of my guys. Again, no cost to you.”

I knew my eyes had to be wide. I felt like a deer caught in headlights. “I…” I shook my head. “I mean, thank you so much, but I can’t accept that. I would feel horrible not paying for your time.”

He was silent for long seconds, and I set the paperwork down on the hood of the car.

“I have a feeling you will just argue with me on this.”

I nodded. “Pretty much.”

He glanced down at his boots, and I took a moment to appreciate all the ink that covered him. Even his neck had tattoos, ones I found very arousing.

“Let me take you out.”

“What?” I felt like I stuttered the word out. “How is that me paying you? I already agreed to that.”

He shrugged. “It’s all I’ve got.”

A moment of silence passed. “And you won’t budge on this?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head. “I let it go that you didn’t want me picking you up. I won’t move on this.”

I stared at the paperwork and then sighed. “Fine, but I pay for wherever we go.”

“We’ll talk about that later,” he said, his voice seeming deeper, huskier. “Sign, please.”

I shivered at the command in his voice. I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy the fact that he bargained with me. I had already agreed to go out with him, and even if we hadn’t done that because of my schedule, it was kind of sweet he was using that as a deal maker.

My entire body was already on fire, and my arousal was through the roof. He handed me a pen. Our fingers brushed, and my heart started to race once more. I felt like my hand was shaking as I signed the two forms, and when he placed his hand on mine, steadying it, I stopped breathing altogether.

I slowly lifted my head and looked at him.

Our gazes clashed.

The air around us became thick.

I knew what was about to happen, and no way in hell would I stop it.

The chemistry that had bounced between us since the moment I first met him was not something I was going to ignore. I couldn’t. I opened my mouth, not sure exactly what to say, but it seemed Gabe had other things planned.

He gripped me behind the neck before I even knew what was happening, and pulled me forward until my body slammed against his. My breasts pressed against the hard planes of his chest, and the air gushed out of me. My pussy clenched, probably wanting something thick and long that only Gabe could provide.

“I don’t think you understand the intensity with which I need you … want you.” Gabe was rough around the edges, brutal in his strength, and didn’t apologize over those traits.

He’d told me as much, shown me up against the truck, too. But right here, right now … this felt different.

I found it so damn attractive I couldn’t breathe from it all.

The low, growly sound he made had my pussy clenching again in need.

“You have to know how much I want you.” He lowered his head to mine until his lips were a hairsbreadth away. “And if you don’t know, you’re about to find out.” His warm breath slid along my face. “I want to own you, to memorize your body with my hands and tongue.” I shivered from his words. “Will you let me taste you, baby?”

I felt myself nod before I could even form a word.

“Yeah, you will.” His lips brushed mine. “Because not being with you, feeling you, having you close has been pure fucking hell.”

I moaned softly.

“That’s right, Joey. You want this, too.”

I did, but I couldn’t find the words to voice it. Fortunately his lips crashed against mine, taking my mouth in a bruising kiss that didn’t let me think of anything.

I didn’t want to think of anything else.